Geography Club

This is yet another of those Young Adult novels I was a little scared to read; in this case, for how shallow it could sound, it was also the cover that worried me, I had a "bad" feeling. And again I was wrong. Sure, Geography Club is not really about the romance, even if there is a teen romance in it, it's more about the growth of all the characters, but it's not a dramatic story, on the contrary, it has even a somewhat light and happy mood, like the reader is able to see that everything will be find for Russel and his friends.Russel is a gay kid; for a kid living in a small town he is pretty smart, and even if he has never had any sexual experience, he lives his being gay in the net, attending chats where he is able to talk with other boys his same age and with his same trouble. But an online friend and a real friend are completely different, and it arrives a moment when Russel needs the physical presence of someone... yes, I think it was also arrived the moment when Russel wanted a boyfriend, but more than that he needed to feel he was not alone.Russel jumps to the chance of meeting another teenager from one of the chats, and he is surprised, and pleased, when he finds out is Kevin, one of the most popular kids at school. But Russel is young, and yes, his best characteristic is that he is real, so no perfect at all; as soon as he finds out about Kevin, he wants to gossip with his friends, and so he talks with Min, his best girlfriend, and to his surprise Min comes out to him as bisexual, and then Min brings on Terese who brings on Ike... and an impromptu club is born.As I said, no one of the above kids are heroes, and no one wants the burden of being the gay kid at school; they decide to misguide their gay club for a Geography Club, so boring no one will want to join. But after the first session when everyone was able to share their experience, they discover that being gay is not enough of a reason to be together, and their club to survive need to have a reason to be. Again, no much courage among these boys and girls, and surprise surprise, for once the hero of the novel, Russel, is not an hero at all, on the contrary he is actually the one who will behave in the worst way against another kid. That will be the moment for Russel to grow, to realize that being the cool kid and having a cool boyfriend is not actually possible in small town high school; he has to make a choice, and this is probably the most "dramatic" event of all the novel: as you can see, yes, for a 16 years old that can be pretty life changing decision, but it's not the end of the world.I liked Russel, in good and bad he was who he was supposed to be: a teenager, with his trouble and his dreams, and with all the life in front of him to realize them.

This book is inspirational to people that are not only uncomfortable with their sexuality, but for those other kids that have a hard time fitting in with the high school atmosphere. Geography Club is funny, memorable, and hits you to the core. Applies to kids around the age of 16, but the messages from the book could apply to young or mature kids. This book will throw you with an unexpected twists, and events that remind anyone of the normal high school period.You follow Russell, a sophomore in a small town, who has trouble finding his true self. Hormonal and lonely, Russell goes to a online gay chat room where he finds out that he isn't the only one in a school of 800 people that's gay. Kevin, Russell's main love interest in the story, I just a Jock on the baseball team that's popular and won't let anything change his status, even if it's Russell. Later, Russell soon finds out that Min, Russell's best friend is bisexual, and dating a Girl Jock soccer player. The four of them, along with the Lefty Rebellion Ike, meet up and find that they have more in common then they originally thought, come up with a secret place for the 5 of them to meet, calling it Geography Club, a place where no high schooler in their right mind would join.Along with their secret meetings and baseball practice, Gunnar, Russell's other best friend is having trouble finding himself a girlfriend, and makes Russell promise that he would do anything for him to get one, yet still doesn't know Russell's gay. Gunnar makes Russell go on a double date with two girls that Russell could careless, and Russell soon realises that Kimberly, Gunnar's date is only there so Trish, Russell's date, could be there with him. Gunner then forces Russell through a gilt trip to go on another one where Trish forces herself on him. He tells her he's a virgin and that he wants his first time to be special. Later that night Russell kisses Kevin, who shares his feelings for him.After, the plot starts to kick in when Russell is on the top of the 'Land of Popularity'. Kimberly and Trish spread rumours that he is the Gay Boy everyone had been excusing Brian Bunt, the outcast and prime suspect of bullying at Goodkind, after he denies having sex with Trish at her family's beach house. Russell gets to know how it feels being at the bottom of the social ladder, losing his friends, breaking up with Kevin, and all the while Geography Club is falling apart.This book is great, the only thing I have to say about it is the price. But once you start Geography Club you won't be able to stop until the end.

A light, quick and easy read: this young adult story concerns the trials, tribulations and revelations of several North American teenagers at what I take to be a typical early 21st-century High School. Concerning itself with the vagaries of popularity, we are guided through events by Russell Middlebrook, a teen who is wrestling with his identity. Asking several important questions and leaving others unaddressed - most pressing of all being where the heads of the school leaders were at: how on Earth they kept their jobs with the degree of bullying going on, as described here, is a matter for amazement, as is their tolerance of prudery and some Christian-fuelled bigotry.Still, what do I know? Never having attended a North American High School, I’m in no place to criticise (British secondary schools have their own circles of hell): I simply observe.Overall, a fast and occasionally thought-provoking read. As the first in a series, it is a sufficiently enjoyable opener (and wholly self-contained so no need to reach for the next book to resolve a cliffhanger) - with equally enjoyable characters - to encourage a further dip into their lives somewhere down the line.

This story is really believable. Written as a 16 year old might have done, so it took me back to my own teen years in UK, but alas, in more illiberal times. I would recommend this book to any 16 year old or a bit older who has doubts or reservations about their own sexuality. The 2 teen leads, Kevin & Russel come over as very likeable. More than once, descriptions of events brought a smile to my face. I could identify in some ways with Kevin as the sports-playing 'looker' in the class,having had a crush on our rugby-playing class-mate, and looking back, he seemed to have more than a hint of an attraction to me. As times were more homophobic in my early years, I hesitated before making a move. My loss.

Really good book, very relatable reading it just after finishing A-Levels. It (as well as the other books in the series) are very short though, I understand it's aimed at teens and so I suppose it's understandable but I do think it should priced lower for such a small amount of reading time.Saying that, I read this a lot more often than other books so i'm sure that played a part in it going quickly.

Amazing book it really get you thinking what it’s like for people coming out.

Bought as gift for a friend who was delighted to finally get to read this, in view of the forth-coming film...Item arrived on time and was as described. Good purchase - Recommended.